KTM Duke 200 Long Term Review

Hello everyone, I am Ajeeth Phrassanna currently doing my third year in engineering. This is my first ownership report on my Duke 200. Right from admission into engineering I was planning to buy a bike. Unfortunately my family faced the worst economical situation at that time. It was tough for a management student to ask for a bike. 1st semester was really difficult. A 17 km bus travel daily (to and fro 34 kms). Early morning bus travels with heavy rush. This was the scenario for me for the first three semesters. Sometimes I was helped by lifts from my dad and a few times by street vehicles.

At that time, the people of my street started to buy new model bikes. Firstly I was about to book a Thunderbird 350. It was a misfortune again. “Any Royal Enfield bike would be delivered only after 8 months of booking” said the dealers. First Thunderbird of my street came into the picture. It was followed by a CBR150R. Finally my friend bought a Pulsar 200 NS. Those were the three good bikes in my street. The only boy who had no bike was me!

It was a new era of bikes. People who bought Apaches and Pulsars went to buy Fazer, FZ-S. R15, CBR, Pulsar 220 and 200 NS. It was the time of introduction of KTM’s Duke 200. Though it had a high price tag (Rs. 1.5 lakhs) it drew my attention a lot. It uses a powerful 200cc engine which could deliver a good mileage and could fulfill my needs. I couldn’t imagine a bike other than the Duke for me after seeing a Duke 200 live. Told my family about the goodness of Duke 200 and showed them its pictures. It was okay for everyone.

The KTM Duke 200 is produced by an international brand KTM. It is one of the best of the naked street class with stunning looks all over the world. After a long wait, Duke was chosen. It was March 1st when I called KTM for booking my Duke. “No booking required” they said. But my Dad had other ideas. He called KTM Coimbatore and booked a Duke 200 (without my knowledge) so that it could be delivered on or before 18th of May (my birthday). This had been unknown to me, I spent many sleepless nights and also told my friends about my idea of getting the 200 Duke.

No one in my department was unknown that I am going to own a Duke 200 in the near future. Finally it was 9th May when I went to choose my Duke. At that time “A temporary showroom of KTM was built in Salem so that my Duke 200 would be brought from KTM Coimbatore to the temporary showroom and then I could take it home” they said. Unluckily I spent my birthday without it due to the reason of late delivery. The next day (19th of May), a call from the temporary showroom brought me there to take my Duke (midnight black) home. At least 20 people abruptly stopped me asking about my bike on my way to home. Felt like a celebrity. That day brought an evolution of me from my bicycle to my Duke. Everyone in my family started to love him, calling it “Panther”

I took my Duke 200 straight away to my cousin’s home for a party (around 70 kms). Everyone on the road yelled “oh! see that bike, awesome! What’s the company producing it?” Answering them was awesome too!

It was the time when my semester exams were about to begin (study holidays). I went to college to collect my hall-ticket. It was the first time I brought my love to my college. Being the only holder of Duke 200 in my college, I was identified as Duker or Dukian.

Since it was a rare and unique bike which was unknown to most of the people, many asked if the bike was a race version. Even my college mates whom I had never met came to congratulate me.

I spent many sleepless nights riding my metal panther wherever I wanted (even at 1 AM).

Run-in-period (period from delivery to the 1st service) was really pleasant. I maintained 3-4 RPM range. Since my bike was not registered, the console was not connected. I had to feel the engine sound and RPM for judging the speed. Washed my bike frequently and enjoyed its clean beauty. Also noted the distance of each ride and manually calculated the overall driven miles. Firstly I went more than 750 kms in the first 20 days. Then my rides were even more calculative since it should not exceed 1000 kms before registration said KTM. Then after reaching 1000 kms, I went for the registration.

Registration was another big deal. I was asking my dad for “46 – Valentino Rossi or 8055 – BOSS” as my Duke’s registration number. Waited very long for registration too! I was riding my black panther even without registration for a month and a half. The running series was nearing 7055 so that next thousand numbers were available. My misfortune chased me again. At the time for booking the registration number a4-wheeler asked for the same number “8055”. Since he held a 4-wheeler the preference was given to him. Also I had to wait for another month for “46”. Having no other way to go, I settled for a random number.

The first service was a little frustrating due to delay. Since it was a temporary showroom in Salem they hardly responded. They postponed the 1st service about another three weeks. Chain sounds were heard. Bike heated high. Had to change the oil, coolant and had to spray the sprockets. Finally after three weeks, 1st service was done and I took my Duke home. That ride was the most fantastic of all. Console was enabled and I could feel the engine’s sound back to normal and chains hardly made sounds.

The design and styling of KTM was something unseen in India before. Previously FZ-S of Yamaha was considered to be the best of the naked class bikes. But soon Duke became the iconic display of naked styling. The headlamp is slim and sleek. The trellis frame makes Duke to look as if it looks as good as the Ducaties. People even chased me asking whether it is a Ducati. Bikini fairing adds up its style but it is quite hard to rush at the speeds greater than 100 km/hr. It has sharp and edgy looks with very good dimensions so that many people desire to own such kind of stylish bikes. It has good graphics and a monoshock painted white at the rear side. It has the exhaust (visible) running below the engine. Dukes are really the best eye catchers of the pedestrians so that people hardly miss its sight. I used to see surprisingly big crowds gathered where ever I parked my Duke. Also I have heard people saying “See this bike, I think it is a modified FZ-S’.

The Duke engine is a fuel-injection type liquid-cooled engine of single-cylinder and single spark plug. It has a displacement of 200cc. It delivers its maximum power of 25 BHP at 10,000 RPM and maximum torque of 19.2 Nm at 8000 RPM. Though it has 200cc, it delivers power more than normal 200cc bikes. Once a guy riding Pulsar 150 crossed me as if he led me. It seemed to be a contest and he raced his bike so that he crossed me by a few distance. Annoyed by his actions towards me, I wanted to show him what Duke is capable of. I suddenly maxed the throttle so that I went passed him like a sizzling wind. That’s how I first ever experienced a brute hidden in my Duke.

Common thing is the engine heating (especially in naked bikes) could be felt at the stopping and slightly while riding. But it is comfortably warm in cold nights. I have enjoyed it very much personally. It has 6-speed transmission with wet multi-disc clutch. I bet it is the only bike in the Indian market which could be driven at 30 km/hr even in 6th gear. The fact is the gears are too short and make the rider to rush harder and faster.

It is a bike having loads of power within it. The tagline “READY TO RACE” shows that Duke is made of racing DNA. It accelerates to 60 km/hr in 3-4 seconds (my bike) and 100 km/hr within 10 seconds. My top speed is 140 km/hr. I didn’t feel any power lags till it reached 130 km/hr. Since it has high torque to weight ratio and light weight it is used for stunting (I didn’t try stunting till now). Gear shifts are smooth but I get false neutrals once in a fortnight usually while down gearing from the 6th gear to the 1st gear. The Duke 200 is a 4-stroke engine but it roars like a 2-stroke motor. Even its engine sound makes it easily notarized. Thus Duke engines are power factories making sure that all the power lovers are satisfied.

Street bikes are meant for their braking. Duke has excellent braking mechanism (BYBRE) having dual disc brakes. Front disc – 280 mm wide and rear brake – 230 mm wide. It is safe to brake even at high speeds. Thanks to the braking, I was just saved once riding behind a minidor which suddenly dropped its speed from around 70 km/hr. I got escaped with a little skid. No damages to me as well as my love.

The Duke 200 has soft compound tubeless tyres manufactured by MRF. The tyres of the Duke 200 are the largest of the Indian bikes. The tyres are large enough for me to be absolutely stable even at high speeds.

Duke has a good instrumental cluster. It has indicator button, horn switch, dim and dip switch and a pass light switch on the left handle while on the right handle carries light switch, engine kill switch and self-start button.

The Duke’s console is really cool. It has many functions. It allows the rider to know about important information unseen in a motorcycle. At nights the LED lights on the left and right handles glow white, this looks awesome. The console gives you a feel of holding a big motorcycle. The switches are easy and soft to operate.

Handling the Duke 200 is quite awesome. It is very light and hard as steel. The handle is a little spiky and pains slightly. Changing handle rubbers with smoother ones makes comfortable and the paws can be relaxed. They are perfect for the streets. The turning radius is a little low which makes the bike a little hard to turn at narrow places. Cornering is absolutely fantastic. My friends had a feel that it was too light to corner so that it may fall onto the ground, but practically what I experienced was that it is highly stable through corners.

Coming to the comfort, the stock seat is really stiff. Even though a pain ease tip is provided to make our back to relax, it is really hard to travel continuously for hours together. The seats can be changed to comfortable ones so that riding becomes smoother and painless. Riding position is straight and upright so the rider is comfortable without pain in shoulders and on the back.

The rear pillion seat is very small and it is not advisable for fat guys and people who sit aside (really dangerous). I once took my cousin who was a little fat for about 100 kms, seriously it was hard to travel long. Also the pillion rider can feel the hardness of the seat even sooner than the rider. A journey of an hour is okay. Traveling for more than 2 hours is simply a painful job.

Coming to the fuel efficiency, the Duke’s mileage is mind blowing. The tank capacity is 10.5 litres. Though it is a 200cc engine and delivers power more than a normal 200cc bike, its mileage is something remarkable.

Since I ride on the highways I get a mileage of well above 42 km/l (average) and got the highest as 50 km/l. People get varied mileages. The fact is unlike the carbureted engines, the fuel injection gives variable mileage based on the acceleration of the bike. It is really hard to believe that even FZ, Fazer and other 150cc bikes give less mileage than the Duke 200.

Special Features – People are surprised to see the radiator in the KTM Duke 200. They move around the bike to search for silencer yelling “Look at this bike, it has a radiator but no silencer guys!” where ever I stop. The radiators are activated when the temperature rises to the maximum in the temperature bar. Also the underbelly exhaust makes the bike solid even the water level is as high as the waist of the rider. The bike can be stopped (even at waist high water levels) and switched off and then started again to move even at high water levels. Thus it makes the Duke’s engine a special one.

Maitenance and Modifications – Maintenance of the Duke 200 is not a hard task. But for every 500 kms the chains must be lubricated otherwise the chains make funny sounds. I bought a chain spray for Rs. 400/-. I see frequent modifications on Dukes. I have planned for painting the trellis frame white (since my Duke is black) and also to change lights to HID lights.

Duke 200 Pros

* 200cc powerful engine
* Good mileage
* Presence of radiator
* Underbelly exhaust
* Aggressive style and notoriety
* Roaring sounds
* Smooth and short gear shifts
* Excellent graphics
* Powerful LED headlamp as bright as car lights (12V 60/55W H4) and LED tail lamp and indicators
* Monstrous acceleration
* Mono-suspension
* Light in weight

Duke 200 Cons

* Heating
* De-coloration of exhaust pipe
* Stiff seat
* Rare false neutrals
* Short turning radius
* 10.5-litre petrol volume

The negatives are not that much to be taken because the bike is so awesome and the cons are not big to worry. Remember that there is no bike in the world which is said to be 100% perfect and even great bikes have their own negatives.

I couldn’t imagine a bike other than my Duke 200 though there are many high performance bikes in India. I chose what my heart said and was not wrong either. It is the first bike for me to own and I learnt what it is and how it is to own and maintain a bike.

Joy or gloom it accompanied as a good friend of me. “Wanna ride long? Or short? Rush hard or ride gently? Ride like an insane? Or want a safe ride? Whatever asked “yes” replied my Duke. It saved my life once and I am not sure to be alive if there was any other bike to be present at that moment of time.

I have even bought a key chain in the name of Duke written on a rice pellet. It might sound insane but I love it to the core.

Understanding my Duke 200 taught me life lessons. It changed my attitude of riding from just rushing hard to what real biking is. I had special moments taking snaps with my KTM Duke whenever I felt like. It always makes a feel that it is made for me. I never regretted that I got my “friend in need”.